Throughout history, the speech has been one of the most powerful forms of communication. Technological, social and economic changes have enhanced that power. As digital communication has increased, speeches have had to become more authentic and honest.

This online course gives you the essential principles of the art and craft of speechwriting. After first defining why speeches matter, the course looks at the three golden principles of speechwriting, before moving on to how to make the content memorable and engaging. It then focuses on honing the participants writing and editing skills with specific exercises on hooking your audience and crafting media sound bites and quotes. Finally, it examines how to deliver a speech with confidence and conviction.

Apart from this online course, students can also register for a 2-day workshop in the same topic that will take place on 12 and 13 March 2020, in Geneva Switzerland. During this workshop students would have the chance to apply what they have learnt during the online course and improve their speechwriting skills.

• Identify the elements of a good speech as well as the 3 golden principles;
• Apply principles of effective writing;
• Manage the audience's attention span throughout the speech;
• Get your message across to the media and on social media;
• Understand the principles of effective delivery and recognise the importance of non-verbal communication.

e-Learning: The course is internet-based, moderated by a senior international expert, asynchronous, and places emphasis on online discussions and self-paced learning. The participants will be primarily responsible for their own learning over the three-week span of the course. The course will consist of the following components:

Compulsory and optional reading material, intended to teach the basic concepts and principles of the lesson's subject-matter;

External links to additional books, articles, documents, and websites related to the lessons;

Quizzes and case studies at the end of each module. To be eligible for the course certificate, a passing grade of 80% on both quizzes and case studies is required;

A Community Discussion Board will be available for participants to post questions or comments visible to the instructor and other participants. This discussion board will be moderated by the course director and UNITAR;

Estimated learning time: 24 hours.
Participants will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion after the successful completion of the course.

The course targets junior to senior-level governmental officials as well as staff of intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations. It also targets entry-level and mid-career diplomats and private and public sector specialists. Postgraduate students are also encouraged to apply.

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FACE-TO-FACE WORKSHOP "THE ART OF SPEECHWRITING" (ADVANCED)

Apart from this online course, students can also register for a 2-day workshop in the same topic that will take place on 12 and 13 March 2020, in Geneva Switzerland. During this workshop students would have the chance to apply what they have learnt during the online course and improve their speechwriting skills.